Two of the three cageside judges -- Barry Luxenberg, 30-27, and
Rich Green, 29-28 -- scored it for Sandro. Ric Bays cast a
dissenting 29-28 scorecard in Da Silva’s favor.

The world-ranked Sandro (18-2, 1-0 BFC) attacked at the heart of
his countryman’s defense, firing power punches up the middle, often
splitting Da Silva’s hands with clubbing straight rights. The
34-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt nearly finished it
inside the first round, when he buckled Da Silva with a right hand
and dropped him with a follow-up left hook. Sandro swarmed with
punches but surrendered his dominant position in favor of an
attempted guillotine choke. Da Silva -- who was most effective
throwing kicks to the legs and body at a distance -- freed himself
and survived, but it was clear he was faced with an uphill battle.
By round two, he was reduced to wild windmill punches, most of
which only found air.

Sandro punctuated the victory, his fourth in five appearances, with
a trip takedown late in round three. He moved to half guard and
dropped punches, but the wiry Da Silva (10-4, 0-1 BFC) escaped and
returned to his feet.

“I respect everybody,” Sandro said. “I want to fight the best here.
I want to fight for the belt.”

Curran’s Peruvian Necktie Taps
Palomino

K.
Mills

Curran tapped out Palomino.

Former lightweight title contender Pat Curran
was spectacular in his return to 145 pounds, as he submitted
Luis
Palomino with a Peruvian necktie 3:49 into the first round,
advancing to the Bellator Summer Series featherweight tournament
semifinals.

Curran (14-4, 4-1 BFC) was too smart and too skilled for the man
they call the “Baboon.” After a few standup exchanges between the
two, Curran turned the tide in his favor. He dropped Palomino with
a beautiful counter right hand and swarmed like a madman,
ultimately landing in top position. Curran first tried for a brabo
choke, but he transitioned seamlessly to the necktie for the
finish. Palomino (16-7, 3-3 BFC) had no choice but to submit.

“I was just glad I got a chance to show [my jiu-jitsu] off,” Curran
said. “Once I sunk it in, I just went for it. I practice it all the
time in the gym.”

Devree was on his heels from the start, as Malegarie (20-1, 1-1
BFC) employed takedowns and a heavy top game, complimented nicely
with repeated submission attempts and ground-and-pound to the head
and body. The 25-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt threatened
Devree (10-2, 0-1 BFC) with guillotines in each of the first two
rounds. The third time was the charm, as Malegarie rolled into top
position and finished it there.

Sengoku Raiden Championship veteran Ronnie Mann
scored a brutal first-round knockout over Adam
Schindler, as he advanced to the Bellator Summer Series
featherweight tournament semifinals. The end came 4:14 into round
one, and it was definitive.

Schindler pressed the clinch after a brief exchange but abandoned
it in favor of a firefight. Mann (20-2-1, 2-0 BFC), the more
technical standup fighter of the two, made him pay, as he folded
the Strikeforce alum with a crackling counter left hook. Schindler
fell to his back, where he was met with a few punches and series of
wicked hammerfists that bounced his head off the canvas and left
him unconscious in the center of the cage. Schindler (9-2, 1-1 BFC)
had never before been finished.

“I don’t care who’s next,” said Mann, who will carry a four-fight
winning streak into the semifinals. “I’m just here to win it.”